Minimum wage to increase in 21 states next year

Protesters demanding a $15 minimum wage for government
contractors rally in a cafeteria on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on
June 7. File photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

| License Photo

Millions of minimum wage workers in 21 states will get a raise in 2017.

The highest state minimum wages in 2017 will
be $11 in Massachusetts, which is a $1 increase from this year, and
Washington, up from $9.47 in 2016. Other higher wages are in Arizona
($10), California ($10), Connecticut ($10.10), Oregon ($10.25 in July)
and Vermont ($10). The other state raising the minimum in July is
Maryland, where the minimum wage state-side will be $9.25.

Four states raised the state minimum wage in
the November election -- Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington. Other
increases are based on cost-of-living increases or legislative action.

The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25
since 2009 but states and localities can require a higher number. In 21
states, the minimum of $7.25 applies even though some states actually
have a lower state minimum wage.

Local government can also set higher minimum
wages. The highest wages are in Washington at $15.35 in SeaTac and $15
in Seattle, according to CNN.

California cities will have higher rates in
2017 -- $10.50 in Sacramento for large employers and $13 in Mountainview
and Sunnyvale.

The state of New York will be raising the
minimum pay on New Year's Eve to between $9.70 and $10.50 an hour,
depending on the region and employer size.

President-elect Trump's nominee for secretary of the labor, fast food CEO Andrew Puzder, is a critic of the movement to raise minimum wage.

Minimum wage to increase in 21 states next year
Reviewed by Bizpodia
on
16:43
Rating: 5